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NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race Report
Track: Talladega Superspeedway
Race: Geico 500

Date: May 3, 2015

No. 2 Miller Lite Ford Fusion – Brad Keselowski

Start:  15th

Finish: 22nd

Status: Running

Laps Completed:  188/188

Laps Led: 0

Points Position (behind leader):  6th (-89)

Recap: Brad Keselowski and the No. 2 Miller Lite Ford Fusion ran up front all day long, but ultimately fell back late, finishing a disappointing 22^nd.  Keselowski started the Geico 500 from the 15^th position based on the results of Saturday’s qualifying session. Over the course of the 188-lap race, Keselowski ran as high as second and as low as 33^rd on the day. As the race progressed, it became clear that the outside line was the fast way around as the inside line stalled out over the long run. On the last restart of the day, Keselowski was scored in the fifth position and he made his way to third place before getting shuffled to the inside and losing the lead draft subsequently falling back to 30^th. Once back in the pack he was not able to find any help to get back through the field and had to settle for a 22^nd place run. The No. 22 Team Penske Ford driver slides back to sixth in the point standings, 89 points out of first.

Quote:  “That was a disappointing finish for the Miller Lite Ford. We got caught on the inside line during the last stint of the race and that was not the best way around today. Once we fell back in the pack – we just couldn’t find anyone to pair up with to make a run to the front.”

No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Fusion – Joey Logano

Start:  21st

Finish: 33rd

Status: Running

Laps Completed:  186/188

Laps Led:  0

Points Position (behind first): 4th (-59)

Recap:  Joey Logano and the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Fusion was involved in an early multi-car accident and spent the rest of the afternoon trying to make up as many positions as possible, ultimately coming home with a 33^rd-place finish on Sunday afternoon at Talladega Superspeedway.  Logano started 21^st and, early on in the race, slipped back as the action was getting tense up front.  After the first round of pit stops, Logano was able to race his way back to the front, briefly getting into the top-10.  However, on lap 48, a multi-car accident on the backstretch collected a total of 15 cars, including Logano.  Despite heavy damage, the Shell-Pennzoil team was able to lose just one laps fixing the damage.  However, a flat tire under green brought Logano back down pit road, dropping him four laps down.  Even with the heavy damage, Logano was able to race with the pack and worked to get two of his laps back before eventually coming home 33^rd at the finish.  Logano dropped two positions in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series point standings and now sits fourth, 59 points behind leader Kevin Harvick. 

Quote:  “That’s one of those frustrating races like we had in Bristol.  Our car wasn’t bad, but we were just going to bide our time.  The 6 car (Trevor Bayne) was really loose early in that run and the 41 (Kurt Busch) got under him and the 6 just lost it.  After that, I had nowhere to go.  I think I got hit from behind and just spun around and hit a couple more times.  The guys did a good job getting everything fixed and just losing a lap.  Then we had a tire go flat and that put us a bunch of laps down.  I think if we were just one lap down, we could have gotten a lucky dog and back on the lead lap and eventually raced with those guys.  But it just wasn’t meant to be.  We will just move onto Kansas and go win one there.”